Boy, did I have a dream last night: I dreamt that I was a the MacInnes
Student Ice Arena and I watched the MTU Huskies cream LSSU Lakers 5-2.
 
What happened? Coach Mancini at the Blue Line Luncheon joked about our
BB coaches who both pulled out last minute wins last weekend asking
"What happended?" Wow: what a game.
 
MTU's 11 game winless streak pretty much convinced the spectators and
fans that 2nd or 3rd place LSSU would walk over MTU. After the first
period of rather uninspired Husky play, with LSSU leading 2-0,
this view was reaffirmed.
 
Then 30 seconds into the 2nd period, Brent Peterson scores a goal. "Well, we
usually do get 3 goals a game, so this is the first: nothing unusual."
 
A penalty is called putting LSSU up a man. Based on Wednesday night's
five ppg's by LSSU, this means, LSSU about ready to score again, right?
Wrong: Santa Claus pulls into Houghton. Marty Mahachuk clears the puck
from in front of the MTU goal down ice. It wasn't particular strong or
anything else but it was inline with the LSSU goal. Lacher moves up the
ice to cut off the clearing play: the puck bounces off his stick and
continues into the LSSU net! A fluke: absolutely; but what a fluke at what
a time.
 
The team goes wild, the fans go wild, the coach asks "What happened?" He
was making a note when the play occurred and did not see it. The Dean of
Hockey broadcasters, Bob Olson, asks "What happened?" He did not see it
either. He gets so excited he spils his coffee over the lady in front of
him.
 
All of a sudden, the MTU of October and early November returns to the ice.
LSSU can't stay with them. They can't out muscle them as they had in
previous games at Fairbanks and Sault Ste. Marie. For the remainder of the
game, the MTU team showed the power, the skill and the ability to play
champianship hockey. They win the face-offs. They stop power plays. They
win the scrums in the corners. They steal pucks from LSSU. They stop the
LSSU shots form the points. What happened?
 
LSSU becomes frustrated, particularly their goalie who has been known to
be somewhat chippy. Lacher, a big goalie, cross checks Figliomeni, the
smallest player on the ice at 5'6", 145 lbs dripping wet. This was after
a whistle had blown. Lacher picks up 4 minutes. Figgy, of course didn't
take to kindly to this and picked up 2 minutes. Then S. Tallaire attempted
to block P. Mikesch from entering the MTU bench: no problem. Pat skates over
him, pushing Tallaire onto the Hushy bench. Not a good place to be, Sean.
A little scuffle breaks out sending both Tallaire (4 min.) and Pat Mikesch
(2 min) to the penalty box. Later, as play is called in the LSSU zone,
Lacher says something to the ref and throws the puck up the ice into the
MTU zone. 10 minute misconduct. A "bird" thrown as Lacher is moving to the
penalty box results in a DQ. LSSU Coach Jeff Fackson is livid. As Lacher
is packing up, Jackson scalds him. My guess is that Lacher may have had to
hitch hike home.
 
This was my dream. What a dream!
 
Walt Olson
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